Lily of Troy

– Heavenstar3

Disclaimer: Same as before.

Note: How I am going to format this story is the rest of the chapters are going to be told in the narrator's point of view, except for the final chapter which will switch back to 'Journal Entry' format. Okay. I am sorry if there is any mistakes like in spelling or grammar. English has never been one of my favorite subjects, so I am sorry.

Thank you to all of my reviewers. I am so sorry I haven't updated in a really long time. I had written this chapter along with the first chapter, but I forgot to post it and I haven't had time to post it. I have been really busy.

I wanted to make one comment though, if you don't like my story, don't read it!!!!! I appreciate the reviews, but not the insults. Also, I KNOW Lily isn't a Greek name, but there is a significance to why Helen named her daughter Lily. I will reveal that later on when Lily meets Paris. Just be patient.

Again thanks for all the NICE reviews and I hope you like this chapter. Oh, I don't know when a new chapter will be posted, but, hopefully, it will be by the end of the month. Well let the show begin. Hope you enjoy it!!!

Chapter 1: Sparta's guests

The sky was lightening. The sun hasn't made its appearance yet, but she knew it was going to shine its gorgeous light on her and on her country, Sparta, any minute now.

Just like always and on the dot, the beautiful yellow circle of heat rose slowly to greet her and the world.

She just sat there, in her garden or her mother's garden, we should say, on a bench just staring around her city and at the horizon like she did every morning since she was a child.

Many of the citizens below were already getting ready to start their day. Maybe I should start mine, she thought to herself and left to go inside her home.

The young woman with chestnut color hair with blonde streaks, walked quietly down to her room where her two maids, who were her best and only friends in Sparta, were waiting for her.

When she entered her room, her friends could tell from the look in her ocean blue eyes that something was wrong with their friend.

"What is the matter my lady?" Chloe asked as she led the young woman to a sit so she could do her hair.

"Nothing is the matter Chloe," the young woman, Lily, replied.

"Now that is a lie and you know it. Please tell us," the other maid, Althea, pleaded.

Lily sighed. She didn't really want to bother her friends with her troubles, but they always seemed to know that something was bothering her or that something was wrong. Which would be everyday. "Sparta is going to have guest this afternoon."

"I know," replied Chloe.

"Your father has been working all of us to the bone to make sure everything is perfect for the arrival of the princes," Althea said.

"So you know who is coming?"

"Of course, my lady, the Princes of Troy."

"Yes," Lily replied with another sigh.

"What is wrong, my lady," Chloe asked.

"Since Sparta is going to have royal guests, that means I have to attend the banquets and act like a substitute queen. And you know how much I hate that."

Her two friends just nodded their heads. They knew Lily hated attending banquets pretending to the people that everything in her life was okay. Pretending to be a queen since her mother died, Lily had to take over her position in public, which she could do, but wasn't really ready for that much responsibility. She just wanted to be their princess. Princess Lily of Sparta, that was what she wanted to be. Not their queen, just yet, or their entertainment. Just a princess, who likes to keep to herself and not parade around others.

She couldn't refuse because her father would get her. He would demand that she be there by his side, and be entertainment to their guests. Lily remembered the last time she refused to due his will. He locked her up in her room for a week without any food or water, and then he smacked her across her face until her checks were tomato red. She didn't want that to happen again, so she had no choice and decided to just be quiet and do whatever he wished.

That punishment was over five years ago, when she was seventeen and tough, but after that day, she became quiet and weak. Doing what her father commanded without any argument. He would still be abusive, but not to the same degree as before.

All of the servants knew about the princess' beatings and the king's abusive behavior towards her, but couldn't do anything about it. They would just pray to Hera or Zeus, that they would strike down their king and let the girl be happy for once.

"Don't worry, Lily," Chloe called her by her first name for the first time today, "all you have to do is just smile and nod. And if your father wants you to sing, sing. You know we will be there to support you. You don't even have to say anything during the banquet, just don't speak until you are spoken too."

"I know, but I don't know if I can do this anymore. I am sick and tired of it. I want to be with my mother," Lily said, starting to cry.

Both of her friends looked at each other with a knowing sad look. They knew that Lily had tried to kill herself several times before in the past and just couldn't stand to see their friend like this anymore. If they could trade places with her, they would, in a heart beat. That is how much she means to them.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine," Althea said, comforting Lily with a hug. "Besides these royal guests are from Troy. I heard there are good looking men in Troy," trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I heard Prince Hector is a looker, but not so much like his brother, Paris," Chloe said with a dreamy expression.

Lily looked at her friends and laughed. Brushing away her tears, "I see Chloe has a crush on a certain prince," she teased.

"Well, from what I have heard, Prince Paris is a real lady's man. He has a reputation for sleeping with every maiden he comes across. Married or not. I hope he comes across me," said Chloe.

Lily and Althea just stared at their friend's dreamy expression and looked at each other. After a couple of seconds, they both burst into laughter.

Their laughter caused Chloe to get out of her dream world and back to reality. She looked at her two friends who were holding their sides due to their hysterical laughter. "What?"

"Oh, Chloe," Lily said, calming down. "I have also have heard about Paris' reputation and from what I have heard you are a guaranteed to get what you want. But I must warn you, I have also heard that the goddess, Aphrodite, herself promised him the most beautiful woman in the world, so don't get your hopes up if he leaves you," she teased her friend again.

"The most beautiful woman in the world, huh? Well, they said your mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, until she died," Althea pondered, "which would make you the most beautiful woman in the world now, since you are her daughter."

Lily was shocked. She's right. My mother was called 'the most beautiful woman in the world.' No man could resist her beauty. But me? I am not beautiful. She turned to look at her mirror. Nope. I am not even remotely beautiful, not even close to it, she thought.

As if reading her mind, Althea said, "Yes you are. You are beautiful. Even if your father says you are not. You are. Look at yourself. Silky chestnut color hair, ocean blue eyes, creamy tanned color skin, a beautiful figure, I might add, a beautiful voice, and a heart of gold."

"Really," Lily again looked into the mirror.

"Really. Your beauty, Lily, is like Aphrodite herself, maybe even more beautiful. You have men fawning over you whenever you go out in the city and that's not just because you are princess. No, it's because of your beauty and kindness that they know. Your beauty just doesn't reveal itself on the outside, but also on the inside. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. And if what you say is true, about Paris and Aphrodite, then I couldn't have lost him to a better person," Chloe announced.

Lily stared at herself in the mirror for a minute longer. Trying to see what her two friends were talking about. She turned back to them with tears in her eyes, "Thanks, my friends," and gave them a big sisterly hug.

They backed away from their hug. All of them with tears in their eyes. Lily turned to Chloe, "Thanks Chloe for letting me have Paris," she teased, "but I am not going to fall for him. He is too immature for me. Sleeping with every maiden he comes across. That is a turn off right there, my friends."

She turned to her dresser to get dress, "Besides, they are only going to be for four days and I probably won't even talk to him, much less bed him. There is no man in the world who could make me want to bed him."

"You have not seen him yet, Lily," Chloe pointed out.

"I don't need to. My heart will belong to no man," Lily stated, starting to dress. "And even if we somehow manage to fall in love, which is highly doubt able, my father will never approve of me marrying a Trojan. My father is only agreeing with this so called 'peace treaty' because he doesn't want to be in the shadows of my uncle anymore."

"You never know, Lily," Althea said. "If the gods want it to happen, then it will," and the two maids left their princess to herself.

Lily just stood there, thinking about her friend's words. If it is the gods' will, then I pray whatever they have plan for me, that I will be happy, she said to herself, while looking out her window in the direction of the Aegean Sea, where the sun had fully appeared, already moving to start its day.

So what do you think? I wonder how Lily will act once she sees Paris? I wonder why her father is mean to her? Tell me what you think and ideas are always welcomed. Nice ideas. Good ideas. Please review. Thanks.